This is the moment US firefighters rescue a frightened kitten that managed to climb up a tree and was trapped almost 60 feet from the ground.

The Fresno Fire Department’s Ladder 9 emergency unit responded to a call about a kitten trapped in a tree in Tower District in Fresno in the US state of California last Friday (18 June) with the footage now going viral by showing the incredible height that they needed to go.

When rescuers arrived, they found a small cat meowing in a tree at a height of 60 feet (18 metres).

The footage shows a fireman climbing the 105-foot (32-metre) aerial ladder to reach the scared animal. The firefighter caught the cat, placed it in a bag and safely returned to solid ground with it.

According to the Fresno Fire Department, the emergency crew rescued the animal in heat of 109 degrees Fahrenheit (42.7 degrees Celsius) during a shift that saw multiple emergencies, including two large-scale fires.

Netizen ‘Gloria Meyers’ wrote: “Excellent work!”

Facebook user ‘Barbara Vasconcellos’ said: “You all are awesome.”

‘Becky Nissila’ added: “Hero stuff.”